AMH 2020 Blog!

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Audrey Howell - Blog Entry #9

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STAND-OUT TOPICS YOU'VE LEARNED DURING THIS SEMESTER?

One of the stand-out topics I learned during this semester was World War I.  Out of all the history classes that I have been in, I never really got to learn about the war as a whole.  Throughout the section that was based on World War I (Section 6), I got to learn about the different battles (Battle of Verdun, Battle of Ypres, Battle of the Somme, etc.), the emperors that were ruling during the war (Kaiser Wilhelm II, Franz Joseph I, and Nicholas II), the different alliances (Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance), and trench warfare.

Another stand-out topic I learned during this semester was Prohibition.  The reason why this was a stand-out topic to me is because I never got to learn about it that much in my other history classes.  Prohibition was a nationwide ban on alcohol.  People thought that it would change the problems in the U.S. and it really was a failure.  One reason why it truly was a stand-out topic for me is because of how much it really was a failure.  Prohibition was created to reduce crime and taxes but it really increased both and that's why it was a failure for the history of the United States.

WHAT SUBJECTS WOULD YOU HAVE LIKED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT?

One subject that I would've liked to learn more about was the Harlem Renaissance.  The reason why I would've liked to learn more about it is because I really wanted to know why it was significant in the 1920s and 1930s.  I know that it really helped identify the culture of African Americans but I really wanted to know how much it really changed the 1920s and the 1930s.

FAVORITE ASSIGNMENT/SECTION.  LEAST FAVORITE ASSIGNMENT/SECTION

My favorite assignment/section was Section 9 - The Rise of Facism.  The reason why this section was my favorite was because we got to learn about the Holocaust.  Every history class that I have been in, I am always interested in the Holocaust.  The Holocaust was one event that changed the world and it's always interesting to learn more and more things about it.  When we went through this section, there were a lot of things I didn't know about.  One person I knew nothing about was Josef Stalin.  I never knew that he was responsible for more deaths than any leader in history.  I also didn't now that he worked with Hitler to help destroy the Jews.  Another thing I didn't know about was truly how many concentration camps there were.  You really don't realize what the Jewish community went through during that time until you learn about the Holocaust.

I didn't have a least favorite assignment/section.  History is important and nothing about it should be unappreciated.  Each section that we did, I learned something and I was interested in everything.  Each assignment/section had key elements that made the history of the U.S. what it is.

HAS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW HISTORY IS PORTRAYED IN POPULAR MEDIA CHANGED FROM THIS COURSE? IF SO, HOW?

My understanding of how history is portrayed in popular media has changed.  I really had no idea how much history the media has covered.  Every topic that was covered has some sort of media element attached to it and you truly don't realize how much media has covered the history of the world.  Media is so important to us all and it helps all of us learn more about something specific we are learning about.  It is important that we all pay attention to the media because it helps us really learn more about history and it keeps us in the loop with what's going on in the world.

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Audrey Howell - The Help (Historical Film Review #1)

SUMMARY

The Help is about a group of black maids who work for white families.  They decide to write a book with the help of Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan about their time working with the families that they have worked with.  This movie is set in the 1960s during the Civil Rights Movement in Jackson, Mississippi.

The movie opens with Aibileen Clark (played by Viola Davis).  Aibileen is a Black maid and works for Elizabeth Leefolt.  Aibileen raises the children that her employers have and has done that since her son passed away from a train accident.  Currently, Aibileen is raising Elizabeth's daughter Mae Mobley.  Elizabeth doesn't acknowledge her daughter and has Aibileen do everything for her.  She makes $182 a month and makes .95 cents an hour working six days a week.  As the movie progresses, we meet more of the main characters.  Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan (played by Emma Stone), is a recent graduate from Ole Miss and wants to be a writer.  When she returns home from New York after not receiving a job, she is hired by the local newspaper as Miss Myrna, an advice columnist who gives advice on household chores.  We then find out that Skeeter is friends with Hilly Holbrook (played by Bryce Dallas Howard).  Hilly is a racist and has a plan to put a law into Mississippi called the "Home Help Sanitation Initiative." This is a plan to separate toilets for Black help because they carry different diseases than white people.  Hilly's mother moves in with her and she brings her maid Minny (played by Octavia Spencer).  Minny is very outspoken and says what's on her mind.  She is also best friends with Aibileen.

When Skeeters meets up with Hilly at the Bridge club meeting, she asks Elizabeth if Aibileen can help her with the advice column.  After Skeeter asks Aibileen, she says yes and that's when their relationship grows.  During this time, you see how uncomfortable Skeeter is with how her friends treat the help and she wants to do something about it.  She decides to write a book about the relationships between white people and their help.  When she asks Aibileen if she can interview her for the book, she immediately says no because it's against the law and they could get in trouble if they got caught.  After word get out about the book, all the maids are uncomfortable with it, but eventually Aibileen gives in and agrees to do it.  During this time, Minny is fired from Hilly's after using the restroom and is now finding it difficult to find work due to Hilly spreading a rumor that Minny stole something from her.  We see that after she is fired, Minny stops by Hilly's and gives a pie as a forgiveness gift.  Eventually Minny finds work with Celia Foote (played by Jessica Chastain).  Celia is a bubbly women and really has no idea what she's doing as a housewife.  Celia is married to Hilly's ex-boyfriend Johnny and that's why Hilly hates her.  Minny then finds out that Celia's husband has no idea that she was hired and he also has no idea that Celia is pregnant.

While Aibileen and Skeeter are writing the book, Minny finds out what Aibileen is doing after she catches them in Aibileens' house.  Minny is disgusted by what Aibileen is doing but she decides that she want to be a part of the book too.  Both Minny and Aibileen are worried because there scared that they're going to be shot and killed, especially after they learn about the assassination of then President John F. Kennedy.  Minny decides to tell the story about when she brought the pie to Hilly's after she was fired.  She tells the girls that she made her a "special" chocolate pie.  Minny thinks this story will keep all the maids safe from being hurt.  Skeeter then submits the first draft of the book to her editor, but her editor wants her to find more maids and interview them.  Eventually, Aibileen and Minny help Skeeter find maids that are willing to help her with the book.

Skeeter's book is published anonymously and becomes the talk of Jackson.  People find out that Skeeter wrote the book and had both Minny and Aibileen in it.  After Hilly finds out about it, she confronts Skeeter in a drunken rage and threatens her that she will tell everyone.  Skeeter then threatens her that she will tell everyone that she ate Minny's "special" pie.  Skeeter's mother Charlotte (played by Allison Janney), forces Hilly to get off her property and that's when we see Hilly is back to her old ways.  Skeeter is offered a job in New York and decides to take if after the persuasion of Aibileen and Minny.  Hilly has Aibileen fired from Elizabeth's and she decides to retire from being a maid.  She doesn't want to leave Mae Mobley but she leaves her with the words that she has taught her, "You is kind, you is smart, and you is important."

HOW DOES THE FILM CONNECT TO TOPICS DISCUSSED IN CLASS?

There were many topics that were in the film that we have discussed in class.  One of the topics is segregation.  Segregation was still very much a thing in the 1960s.  This includes blacks and whites being "separate but equal."  This means that even though blacks and whites were equal, there still things that they had to do separately.  For example, there were separate entrances, separate churches, separate schools, and even separate bathrooms.  You saw this throughout the movie.  You saw Aibileen and Minny go to their church that was specifically for black people and you saw that Aibileen had a separate bathroom when she was working for Elizabeth.

Another topic that was in the film that we have discussed in class is slavery.  Even though blacks and whites were considered equal, there was still slavery.  Slavery wasn't as common in the 1960s as it was long ago, but it still did exist.  In the film, you saw Minny didn't want to be treated as an equal when she was hired by Celia Foote.  Minny believed that blacks and whites shouldn't be treated as equals because that's what she believes.  At the end of the film, she realizes that things have changed and she lets Celia treat her as an equal.

Lastly, prejudice was one of the main topics that was in this film and it is one that we have discussed in class.  All the white women in the film, minus Skeeter, are racists.  You see them treat their maids poorly, especially Hilly.  Even though they are racists, they never really gave a specific reason as to why.  They just based an opinion on their help because of their skin color.

HOW HISTORICALLY ACCURATE IS YOUR SELECTED FILM?

In my opinion, I believe this film is somewhat historically accurate.  Obviously everyone knows the separation colored people were to white people and you really see that in the film.

One thing you truly see in the film was how difficult it was for black women to find a job.  Most black women worked as maids but it was hard for them to find work and for them to provide for their families.  For example, in the film Minny was fired by Hilly Holbook because of her using the bathroom in her house.  It took a really long time for Minny to find work and it became difficult for her to provide for her family, so much so her daughter had to drop out of school and start working as a maid.  Maids made absolutely no money back then and that was really portrayed in the film.

Another thing that was historically accurate was Black maids raising white children.  In the 1960s, if families had children

Even though I believe this film was somewhat accurate, there were some things that I felt were missing. This film was set in the 1960s during the Civil Right Movement, but you never got to see any of it.  You didn't see any riots or protests.  However, there were some parts of the film where you did her about shootings and protests happening in the town. I believe that if they showed more of the Civil Rights movement, then the film would've been more accurate.

Another thing that was missing was the violence.  During the 1960s, there were protests and violence was everywhere.  Peoples homes were burned down, or they were broken into, or they were vandalized and we saw none of that in the film.  If this film was more realistic, then I would say that it was 100% historically accurate.

IN YOUR OPINION, IS THIS FILM A WORK OF "GOOD" OR "BAD" HISTORY? EXPLAIN.

In my opinion, I believe this film is a work of "Good" history.  The reason why I believe this is because it does portray how life was like for colored people in the 1960s.  In that time, racism was a real ting and it was clearly shown in this film.  You also see the separation between colored and white people.  Even though it was a work of "Good" history, there were some things that were missing.  Like I wrote earlier, there was nothing about the Civil Rights movement.  There were no protests shown or violence.  If they showed that in the film, then it would've been a lot more accurate.

There was one scene in the film that showed the funeral of President Kennedy.  During that scene, you see Skeeter, her family, and some of their employees watching the TV together.  I believe that this scene is an example of "good" history because the death of President Kennedy brought everyone together and at that time it didn't matter what color skin you had or what you did to earn income.  Everyone came together to mourn the loss of their president and that scene, to me, resembles "good" history.

DESCRIBE THE HISTORIC CONTEXT THAT THE FILM WAS MADE IN.  HOW DID THIS INFLUENCE THE WAY HISTORY IS SHOWN IN THE FILM?

The context of the film is based in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960s.  It was also during the Civil Rights era.  There are many different attitudes that happened in this film.  There was anger, sadness, happiness, and heartache.  All these different attitudes, to me, exemplify what it was like for black women in the 1960s.  This influenced the way of the history being shown in this film.  With this film, you saw how much pain these women had to go through when working for white families who didn't respect them at all.  You see them being racially profiled just because they have a different skin color.  If you didn't live in the 1960s or anywhere near that time, then you don't know what it was like, but this movie really captures it and you feel as if your living in that time and seeing what black women really went through.

I believe that this film really does capture that history of life for black people in the 1960s.  It captured the racism, prejudice, separation, and the constant struggle for equality.  I would show this film to anyone who wanted to know more about the working conditions of black women and how hard it was for them.  Overall, The Help is a great historical film that everyone should see so they can understand the difference between life for a black person in that time and life for them in today's time. 

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Audrey Howell - Blog Entry #8

BRIEF SUMMARY

Born into Brothels is a documentary about the lives of children that live in the Red Light District of Calcutta.  All these children are born into brothels and are set to become sex slaves if they don't get out.  Zana Briski (the children call her Zana Auntie), follows the children around and films their lives inside the brothels.  She also teaches them about photography and all she wants is to get them out of the brothels and put them into boarding schools.

THOUGHTFUL SUMMARY

Throughout this documentary, we meet a few of the children (Kochi, Tapasi, Shanti, Manik, Puja, Gour, Suchitra, and Avijit).  Each child gets a camera and you really get to see their passion for photography.

Kochi is a quiet child who does chores for money.  She mops twice a day and goes shopping at night for her family.  She dreams about getting an education and wonders what her life would be like if she did so.  Kochi lives with her grandmother due to her father trying to sell her.  Her grandmother wants her to go to boarding school because of how hard of a life she has had.

Tapasi wants to be a photographer.  She wants to help take care of her sister and get out of the brothel.  Tapasi's mother is very disrespectful to her.  She says extremely mean things to her but Tapasi doesn't care because that's her mother.

Shanti and Manik are brother and sister.  They both love taking the photography class.  Their parent don't let Shanti go anywhere but they allow Manik to go anywhere he wants.  Shanti says that Manik beats her up if she get to close and ruins one of his many kites and she would be okay if they were separated.  Manik also says that his mom is worried about Shanti's future.

Puja is a very strong child.  Each of the women in her family are prostitutes, but out of all the children in the village, she is the most well-dressed.  She is also very sharing and shares her food with everyone.  Puja's mother spoils her and doesn't want her to leave.

Gour cares for Puja very much.  All he wants is to take care of her and take her away so she doesn't end up on the streets.  He says he like photography because he can show people how they live in the village.  He feels that their village is filthy and he has never seen anything like it.

Suchitra has lived a hard life.  Her mother is dead and her aunt want to send her to Bombay to work 'in the line'.  All the women in her family are 'in the line'.  All her aunt wants is to make money off of her.  Suchitra wants to get an education just like the rest of the children.

Avijit feels that every time he has the camera in his hand, he can take a picture of someone who has been lost or dead and have something that he'll be able to look at for the rest of his life.  He also loves to draw and paint because he can express what's on his mind.  He is a fantastic painter for his age and has won a lot of prizes.  His father is addicted to smoking has.  His mother is gone and all his father does is smoke all day.  Avijit tries to love his father but it is difficult.  His mother still lives in the village, but no one cares for her.

Zana has a connection with the children.  The children ask her to help them but there is nothing she can do because she's not heir parents.  Throughout the film, you see all the photographs the children have taken and you can clearly see that they have a passion for it.  All the children want to go to boarding school so they can get a better education and they can get out of the brothel.

There are a lot of steps to apply to boarding school.  Most of the parents have lost their children's ration cards and it takes a long time to receive a new one.  They also need their birth certificates and medical certificates.  All of the kids are tested for HIV and if they are positive then they won't be able to apply.  They find out that all the children do not have HIV so they proceed with the application process.  Zana decides to sell the photographs the children have taken so she can earn grant money for them.  They are being auctioned off in New York to raise this money.  After the auction, they decide to have an exhibition for their photographs at the Oxford Bookstore in their town.  The exhibition is a hit and a lot of people show up including their families.  Towards the end of the documentary, we learn that Avijit's mother died because her pimp burned her alive.  Due to his mother dying, his passion for photography starts to disappear.  We also learn that he was invited to Amsterdam to be a part of a photography contest called World Press Photo, but Zana couldn't get a passport for him because he lives in the Red Light District.

Some of the kids have been accepted into a boarding school.  It is up to the parents if the children can go or not.  The parents can remove their children whenever they want, but they cannot take them out of school for wedding ceremonies, deaths of relatives, births, etc.  Zana then meets with Tim, a man who runs a boys boarding school specifically for children who live in bad neighborhoods.  She says that she is worried about Avijit the most because she doesn't want him to turn into his father.  She's afraid that he will become lost and won't be able to leave the brothel.  Avijit will not go to school if they put him two grades behind the grade he is now, but Manik decides to go.  All the girls leave for boarding school.  There are some that are sad about leaving, but they know that it is what's best for them.  Towards the end of the documentary, we see that Avijit finally gets a passport and is able to go to Amsterdam.

At the end of the documentary, we get updates on each of the children.  We learn that Avijit returned to Calcutta and decided to enter the Future Hope School that Zana chose for him.  Manik did not go to school due to his father.  Puja's mother withdrew her from the Sabera school and Shanti left the school as well.  Gour still lives at home but hopes to attend university.  Tapasi ran away from home and went to the Sanlaap School for Girls.  Suchitra's aunt would not let her leave the brothel and therefore did not go to school.  Kochi is the only girl that chose to stay at Sabera.

RESPONSE/REACTION

Overall, I thought this documentary was very good.  You truly don't know what life for children is like in a brothel, and this documentary captures that.  It really broke my heart to see how these children were treated by their parents and by people they didn't know.  I wish that all of the children were allowed to go to school and be free from that place, but their parents won't let them go due to them having a future in prostitution.

CERTAIN BIAS & BLIND SPOTS/MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

I believe that there was no bias in this documentary.  Yes, this whole documentary was about the children and their lives in the brothel, but there was no prejudice for or against them.

In my opinion, I believe this documentary was very well made and I think Zana and the rest of the crew did a fantastic job with showing life in and out of the brothel.  So, I do not think there were any blind spots or missed opportunities.

SUBJECT BROUGHT UP IN FILM THAT RELATE TO TOPICS DISCUSSED IN CLASS

The main subject that was brought up in the film that we have discussed in class is slavery.  I felt that these children were slaves to their families and to everyone in the brothel.  When slavery was around in the U.S., colored women were bought and used and that's how these children are and are going to be in the future.  These children will be sex slaves if they don't leave the brothel and get the education that they all have dreamed about.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THE DOCUMENTARY AND WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT?

There were a lot of things I learned from the documentary, but the main thing was how life is really like for children living in a brothel.  I was disgusted by the living conditions they were win and also how their parents treated hem.  There were some parents who could cuss at their children and wouldn't care whether they hurt their feelings or not.  Throughout the documentary, you see how much these kids want to leave the brothel and go to school and to university and become anything they want to be.  However, most of them can't do that because their parents want them to be sex slaves so they can earn money and take care of their families.

IN YOUR OPINION, DO YOU THINK "NEVER AGAIN" CAN BECOME A REALITY? IF SO, EXPLAIN.  FURTHERMORE ARE THERE ANY WAYS IN WHICH YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THIS SITUATION?

I believe that "never again" can become a reality one day.  Every day we see something on the news about child slavery, sex slavery, and genocide.  I believe that if there was a way to stop all these things from happening, then most definitely "never again" can become a reality.  Many people are scared to speak up about something like slavery or genocide because they don't want to be threatened and possibly harmed by someone or a group of people that take part in that.  If people opened up their mouths and said how they feel, then things would most likely, in the end, stop.

As an individual, there are many things you can do to have an impact on this situation.  One thing is to speak up and have a rally of support for the victims of slavery, genocide, or anything related to both.  By doing this, you are speaking up about a situation and this could help stop what is happening.  Another thing you could do is to start a charity.  By starting a charity, you can earn money and have it sent to people in need or you can save it and use it to campaign in stopping the problem.  There are many things you can do to have an impact on the situation, but your voice is the main one and people should speak up and say how they feel.  By doing that, you are helping spread the world and that's what should matter.

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

One question I have is if Zana is still in contact with any of the children from the documentary, and if so, how are they today?  Since this film was released in 2004, they have obviously grown up and I just want to know if any of them have left the brothel.

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Audrey Howell - Blog Entry #7

A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY

- The demagogue I selected was Father Charles Coughlin.  Coughlin was known as "The Radio Priest."  His radio show became the most popular radio show and it was for many years.  He spoke his beliefs and asked the world to take a stand for God and for Country.  He was selling hope to the people and they all believed him.  He was a very persuasive person and liked to play with people's emotions and stood for things that people were totally against.  He will go down in history as one of the top demagogue's in the world.

A THOUGHTFUL SUMMARY OF THE TOPICS ADDRESSED IN THE FILM

- There were many topics addressed in this film.  Coughlin was a priest that spoke his beliefs and tried to convince the people to believe what he believes.  The typical American make awoke early to Great Expectations of their country and of themselves.  This was the common vision of hat America was supposed to be like in the 1930's.  There is no consensus on what caused the Great Depression, but it was a national crisis.  Billions of dollars and thousands of businesses and jobs were lost because of it.  Everyone was bewildered because of the Depression and there was anger towards the world.

- Coughlin believed that he could fix America.  Coughlin believed that democracy as in danger and that dictatorship has cast it's shadow upon the flag.  When on the radio, Coughlin called out the government, ethnic groups, religions, and he made accusations.  By 1936, Coughlin's popularity grew and he could no longer be ignored.  His following was massive.  He was selling hope to the people and they all believed him.  His answers were persuasive and he was looking for solutions to the problems.  Coughlin opened his church in Detroit when he was 34-years-old.

- The radio was extremely popular in the 1930's and all of America was turning to the radio.  It became America's most popular piece of furniture.  Due to his radio show, Coughlin made it to the top of the ratings and into the magazines.  Radio held the promise of opportunity, of celebrity and riches and religious voices were meant to be heard.

- There were many priests on the radio including Father Divine and Evangelist Aimee McPherson (both were on Broadway).  There was a ratings war between them two and Charles Coughlin.  A radio station in Philadelphia made the people choose between the popular New York filler and the Radio Priest.  When the votes were counted, Coughlin won and got the 4:00 p.m. time slot.

- People looked forward to listening to Coughlin.  People thought that he had a soothing voice and people forgot that a Depression was happening when they were listening to him.  Thousands of listeners listened to Coughlin every day.  On Sundays, Coughlin would speak at the tower of his church and thousands gathered outside of his church to listen to him speak.  In the worst part of the Depression, Coughlin spent thousands of dollars a week to broadcast over his network.  With this, you could see his values.  Coughlin was for and against the capitalist system, the New Deal, and the demands of labor.  He cashed half-a-million dollars from money orders.

- Coughlin was not a fan on then president Franklin Roosevelt.  He was originally a FDR supporter but turned against him after he refused to nationalize the banking system and provide for the free coinage of silver.  Coughlin became the leader of the National Union for Social Justice.  This wasn't a political party, but it made him more powerful.  Despite Coughlin's efforts to make sure FDR didn't win his second term in office, Roosevelt won again.

- The people didn't know who to blame for the Depression, but Coughlin blamed the Depression on the Jews.  He said that Jewish bankers were responsible for the finances of the people and that's why the Depression started.  He continued to attack the Jewish community and people felt that he was anti-Jew not anti-Semitic.  Coughlin spoke about driving out the money lenders, and people though that he was referring to FDR but he was truly taking about the Jews.  It was hard to believe that Coughlin was a supporter of Hitler and what he was doing to the Jews.

- Coughlin's radio show ratings decreased after he spoke about the Jewish community.  However, he was still very supported and popular.  His radio show, officially went off the air in 1939 and he was silenced by the Catholic church in 1942.  During that year, the government revoked the mailing privileges of Social Justice Magazine.  Coughlin remained a priest until his death.

- Tens of millions of Americans wanted no part of Coughlin's message.  He was asked in the 1960's if he would do anything different and he said no.  Later, he was asked the same question and he said that he would do nothing the same.

RESPONSE/REACTION

- Overall, I thought this documentary was very good.  You really get to see what life was like during the 1930's, especially when the Great Depression was occurring.  You also get to see how Charles Coughlin truly was and the support he received from the American people.  Yes, he had a lot of viewers who listened to his radio show, but he was also very manipulative.  What really shocked me was Coughlin's support of Hitler.  Coughlin despised the Jewish community and he was supportive of what Hitler was doing to the Jews in Germany.

FILMMAKERS SHOWING BIAS

- Truly, there is no bias on Charles Coughlin.  This film was never against him or his actions.  This film shows how Coughlin truly was and that was a manipulator and a true demagogue.

BLIND SPOTS OR MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

- There were no blind spots or missed opportunities with this film.  The filmmakers truly showed Charles Coughlin and how he truly was as a person.  You really got to see how many people supported him and how may people really wanted him to be a leader.

HOW DO THE SUBJECTS BROUGHT UP IN THE FILM RELATE TO TOPICS DISCUSSED IN CLASS?

- The Great Depression is a subject that we have discussed in class.  This caused a lot of turmoil and heartache on the people of the U.S. because they lost their jobs and some even lost their homes.  Everyone believed that this would never be over.  It took a lot of time, but eventually the U.S. was somewhat back to what it was before the Depression occurred and Americans were picking up the pieces and going back to what their life was like before it happened.

WHAT I LEARNED FROM THE DOCUMENTARY

- After watching the documentary, I learned how a demagogue truly acts.  Throughout the documentary, you really see Coughlin play with the emotions of the people.  He really though that by doing this, he could manipulate the people into believing what he believes, but in the end it didn't work.

CAN YOU RECOGNIZE OCCURRENCES OF DEMAGOGUERY IN OUR CURRENT POLITICAL SYSTEM? IF SO, WHERE?

- In my opinion, I think every political leader has some sort of demagoguery in them.  Every politician plays with the emotions of their people who live in their country and they like to cause controversy with decision that they make.  Even though most politicians say that they want to listen to what the people have to say, you know they don't care at all.  Also, most politicians says they don't like to create controversy, you know that secretly they love when it happens and to me that's a problem.

PHOTO CITATION

http://www.fathercoughlin.org/images/charlescoughlin.jpg

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Audrey Howell - Blog Entry #6

A BRIEF HISTORY - The Day the West Invaded Afghanistan, is about the aftermath of the September 11th, 2001 attacks and the impact of it after.  After the attacks, the U.S. strikes back and invades Afghanistan.  Throughout the documentary, you see the beginning stages of the war and how it is in present time.  This war has created a lot of problems for not only the United States but Afghanistan as well.

A THOUGHTFUL SUMMARY OF THE TOPICS ADDRESSED IN THE FILM

- There were many topics addressed in this film.  After 9/11 happened, Osama Bin Laden's objective came true.  His objective was for the U.S. to invade Afghanistan and suffer with all the problems that were going to happen.  One month after 9/11, the U.S. attacks Afghanistan.  The plan was to listen to the CIA, and to also have precision, and speed, and to buy Afghan militias.  The war on the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan lasted no time and everyone thought the war was over, but it wasn't.  After the war on the Northern Alliance was over, the Taliban tried to reach a deal with the United States.  The deal was that the Taliban would surrender and return peacefully to their homes, but Washington D.C. and then president George W. Bush reject the deal and their mission was to kill and capture.  Washington wanted to get in and get out of Afghanistan as fast as possible and they one mission and that was to find and kill Osama Bin Laden.  Throughout the documentary, you see how powerful the Taliban was, especially at the beginning of the war, and because of that, the president of Pakistan decides to cut ties with them.  The U.S. decides to align themselves with old warlords so they could take down Al Qaeda, but in the end it caused more instability.

- 6 months after the invasion into Afghanistan, Britain and America begin to advert their gaze from Afghanistan and decide to put their focus on a different matter, and that was the preparations for the war in Iraq.  The world was focused on Iraq and the Taliban decided to take advantage of that and come back into the picture, since they disappeared for quite some time.  The Taliban entered Afghanistan again and went on a hunt to look for target.  The Taliban were reorganizing and figuring out what to do next.

- The British troops enter Afghanistan and start to defend their positions.  The army was spread throughout the country and they were engaged in some of the most serious fights that they have ever been a part of.  Throughout the war, the Taliban continues to grow in confidence and they continue to bomb Pakistan.  The U.S. was getting sucked deeper and deeper into the problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the problems would now have to be dealt with by the new president of the United States, Barack Obama.

- Afghanistan was starting to look like a dictatorship due to their president.  The president believed that the British were into the drug trade with the Taliban and he also believed that this war could've ended a long time ago.  A few more months into the war, Obama sends another 30,000 troops into Afghanistan to fight.  Obama felt that there needed to be more troops.  U.S. troops are sure that they will get out of Afghanistan by 2015 if the Afghans are capable of taking over.  The Prime Minister of Britain also agrees that troops will be withdrawn by 2015.

- U.S. troops find and kill Osama Bin Laden in 2011.  Even though they killed him, his objective still came true and that was for the United States to invade Afghanistan and suffer.  Today, U.S. troops are still in Afghanistan and they are still trying to help the Afghans with taking over their country.

RESPONSE/REACTION

- Overall, I thought this documentary was very interesting.  You really get to see what life is like in Afghanistan and Pakistan, before and after the September 11th attacks.  You also get to see what the war is really like.  You see all the problems and turmoil that troops have to go through in order to defend their country and themselves.  This documentary was very well made, and really captured the emotions of the war in Afghanistan.

FILMMAKERS SHOWING BIAS

- The filmmakers show no bias in this documentary.  They are incredibly fair with both sides that are a part of the War in Afghanistan.

BLIND SPOTS OR MISSED OPPORTUNITES

- I believe that the filmmakers captured everything they could and I don't think that there were any missed opportunities.  They provided enough information to help anyone understand how this war started and what is still going on there today.

HOW DO THE SUBJECTS BROUGHT UP IN THE FLIM REALTE TO TOPICS DISCUSSED IN CLASS?

- War itself is a main topic that we are discussing in class.  With all the wars that we have learned about (Spanish American War, World War I, etc.), you really get to see a lot of differences between them.  With wars today, we have a lot more technology than the troops had from wars long ago.

WHAT I LEARNED FROM THE DOCUMENTARY

- What I learned was how much this war has really impacted us as a country.  With this documentary, you really get to see what this war is really like and all the problems that we have had to face.  Nobody knows when this war will be truly over, but when it does, we will understand how much the United States has gone through to protect us.

PHOTO CITATION:

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZfkXxXiOBlw/hqdefault.jpg

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Audrey Howell - Blog Entry #5

SUMMARY

How We Got Gay, is a documentary about gay men and women who hid their sexuality from the outside world.  Each person that is a part of this documentary speaks about how they hid their sexuality and what is was like for them to do so.  They speak about the myths in the gay community.  One of the myths was that being gay was a disability and a condition.  There were some that wished that they weren't gay so they didn't have to hid who they were.  Also, most went to therapy to try to turn straight.  There were also some gay men that were engaged to straight women.

This documentary also speaks about the riot that happened at The Stonewall Inn in 1969.  An angry mob of drag queens, mixed race, black, and young people fought back against a police raid.  These people were nonconformists and they didn't fit with the mainstream.  With Stonewall, homosexuals felt that they were powerful and decided that the secret to happiness was to come out of the closet, but there were some that chose to stay quiet about it.  The Stonewall riots allowed homosexuals to come together and live in neighborhoods (or ghettos) with each other and that was where they were allowed to be free and who they are.  AIDS started to spread throughout the gay community in 1981.  Doctors told the men that were diagnosed that they need to stop having sex so it wouldn't spread, but they didn't listen.  Over 10,000 people in New York died from AIDS.  There were also many rules for men who had AIDS including using separate toilets and needles.  There were many riots for AIDS and that was when the modern gay rights movement was born.  In 1996, the first class of drugs for AIDS was created.  It lowered the death rate by 80%.  AIDS brought a lot of men out of the closet and the AIDS rights movement changed everything for them.  Those who fought during the movement were exhausted and a lot of them died because of AIDS and not getting the treatment that they needed and the AIDS rights movement started to fade away.  The one thing many gay men learned when they were a part of the movement was that they learned how to fight for themselves and they realized that the next thing for them to fight for was equality.

REACTION TO FILM

After watching this documentary, I definitely applaud all of the people that are a part of the LGBT community.  Having to fight for your rights shouldn't happen and everyone should be allowed to be free and to be with whoever they want.  I really didn't know about all of the riots (except for the Stonewall Inn riot), but after seeing what the riots were like, I definitely have respect for every gay man and woman out there.

BIAS, BLIND SPOTS, AND MISSING OPPORTUNITIES

In my opinion, there was no bias towards the main topic for this documentary because there was no prejudice shown for the LGBT community.  This documentary was not against the LGBT community and you could clearly see that.  I believe that the creators of this documentary put in everything that showed the fight that people of the LGBT community had to go through and I don't think that there was any blind spots or missed opportunities.

CONNECTING THE TOPICS

With all the topics brought up in this film, I can say that I have never been through anything like that.  I have many gay friends and they have told me that they have had to fight for their place in life.  Seeing them have the courage to fight for themselves makes me respect them so much.

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

The main question I have for the creators of this documentary is: Why did you decide to make a film that showed the history of what gay men and women had to go through to fight for equality?

PHOTO CITATION: http://unveiledthought.com/2015/05/24/marriage-equality-in-ireland-my-chance-to-come-out/

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Audrey Howell - Blog Entry #4

 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RELIGIOUS LIBERTY AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

- Religious Liberty is what you truly believe in and you will stand for what you believe in no matter how much backlash or opinions you get.  Religious Freedom is having the right to choose your religion and having the right to share your thoughts on anything.  It is also a part of the First Amendment (Freedom of Religion).  Both are very important, but most people feel that both are being abandoned in some way because of how much the U.S. is changing.   

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY/RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ARTICLE/VIDEO SUMMARIES  

- Religious Liberty

    - Each video that has to do with religious liberty has the same common topic and that is religious liberty is being put on the back burner due to the U.S. having more equality and freedom for everyone. 

    - In the first video, there are people sharing their stories on why their religious freedom was taken away due to their religious beliefs.  At the beginning of the video, you see that America has pretty much made everyone withdraw from their religious beliefs because there is more equality in America especially with marriage being legal for the LGBT community.  In the second video, religious liberty is being under attack and protests are happening all around the country.  Religious liberty is slowly being pushed away and people are not happy.  Steve Green, the president of Hobby Lobby, says that having religious freedom is a biblical concept.  He also says the court case with Hobby Lobby is a perfect example as to why religious liberty is being put on the ropes.  In the third video, Bill Maher speaks about how Christianity is being under attack.  Most of the presidential candidates feel that there is no more room for Christians in any of the political parties.  However, there are some that feel that Christians are being treated very poorly.  Maher says that 70% of America is Christian and it's very offensive that all Republicans are going after Christianity.

    - In the first article, the article talks about the death of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Scalia and how his death is going to make Supreme Court decisions a lot more difficult since there are now 8 Supreme Court Justices.  Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission says, "His death comes at a time when so much hangs in the legal balance, especially on questions of religious freedom."  One of the big cases the Supreme Court has to make a decision on is a measure in Texas that requires an abortion doctor to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital in case a woman needs emergency admission.  A 4-4 tie in the Texas abortion case would result in a pro-life victory and it would also produce a defeat for religious liberty.  Scalia expected to be in a favor of pro-life and religious freedom adherents.  In the second article, the LGBT rights movement has changed America and it has also changed a lot of attitudes toward the gay community.  Even though there has been support, there has also been a lot of backlash.  Religious-right groups have been protesting and they are trying to persuade state legislatures to pass laws known as the Religious Freedom Restoration Acts.  This allows individuals to deny goods and services to LGBT people on the basis of their religious beliefs.  They are loosely modeled after the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993.  These laws are intended as a sword to promote discrimination against the LGBT community in the public sphere.  There groups are clever and cynical and all they want is for America to go back to the era where gay people remained quiet about their sexuality and that will most likely never happen.

- Religious Freedom

    - Each video and article have to do with religious freedom, but they have a common topic and that is the Religious Freedom Restoration Act that was signed in 1993.  This law has become a major topic in the U.S. because of how people think that it is picking on the LGBT community.

    - In the first video, it talks about the Religious Freedom Restoration Act that was signed by Bill Clinton in 1993.  The act says that the government should not substantially burden religious exercise without compelling justification.  If the government has to stop anyone from doing religious exercises, it must be an important reason.  This was brought in to support minority religious groups from being picked on.  20 U.S. states have brought this law into their states.  Christians are now using this law, for example the Hobby Lobby lawsuit, and now Democrats are against the law.  Most people say now this this law is a Trojan horse to pick on gays.  In the second video, Jon Stewart talks about the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.  It shows that Indiana became the 20th state to sign the law.  Many people feel that this law denies gay people from services due to others religious beliefs.  The backlash to Indiana has been bad and the governor is under fire.  Most think that he believes it's right to discriminate against gay people.  However, the Indiana governor changed the law and it now says that it does not authorize a provider to refuse to offer or provide services on the basis of sexual orientation or gender ide.

    - Each article talks about the backlash Indiana is getting over signing the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.  Local businesses in Indiana are against it because they don't think it's fair to discriminate someone over their sexuality or gender.  Supporters of the act say it's not discriminatory and it protects the religious freedom of individuals.

MY VIEWS ON THE ISSUE

- In my opinion, I believe everyone has a right to their opinion, but I don't think it's right to discriminate someone based on their sexuality.  Not everyone in the world is the same and everyone's religious beliefs are different and it shouldn't matter what everyone's sexual preference is.  I personally think the Religious Freedom Restoration Act is horrible because no one should be denied services because of their sexuality.  I think it's important to stand up for what you believe in, but I also think it's unfair and disgusting to deny someone.

PHOTO CITATION: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-religion-indiana-idUSKBN0MP0MQ20150329

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Audrey Howell - Blog Entry #3

1) Summarize the Topics Addressed in the Video Clips/Articles

- VIDEOS

In VIDEO #1, Donald Trump is being interviewed on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and is discussing how Muslims support his temporary ban on them.  During the interview, Trump says that he has many friends that are Muslim and they agree with him that there is a problem with Muslims in the United States.  Kimmel argues with Trump and says that it is wrong to discriminate against a religion.  Trump also says that Muslims entering our country are coming to do harm.  Trump wants to find out the core of the problems on why Muslims come to the U.S. and come to do harm.  All Trump wants is strength in this country and he feels that there is none.

In VIDEO #2, Sean Hannity, from Fox News, is interviewing Iman Nidal Alsayyad, a religious director of the Islamic Society of Triplex, in Houston, Texas.  In the interview, Alsayyad explains why he agrees with Trump's ban on Muslims.  He agrees with Trump because he feels Trump wants safety, security, and peace, and that can't happen with Muslims entering the country.  He also feels that his temporary ban will make Muslims understand what it takes to live in the United States.

In VIDEO #3, ABC News talks about Trump's ban on Muslims and how it is causing outrage.  People question that if he becomes president then what is he truly going to do with the 7 million Muslims that live in the U.S.  When Trump was on "Good Morning America," he compared his ban to Theodore Roosevelt's internment on German Americans and the Japanese.  Trump compares himself to Roosevelt because of their similar beliefs.  He knows that Roosevelt was a well-respected man, but he doesn't think it's right that he isn't getting that amount of respect.  With his ban, he doesn't want internment camps, but he wants more scrutiny and to find out what is really going on in the mosques.

In VIDEO #4, Wall Street Journal's Shelby Holliday reports on legal questions that surround Donald Trump's temporary ban on Muslims.  John Yoo, a UC Berkeley Law professor says, "The United States cannot discriminate on the basis of religion."  Most of the lawyers that were interviewed say that this ban is unconstitutional.  House speaker Paul Ryan says, "This ban is not what the Republican party stands for and it's not what the county stands for."  Many say this ban is unlikely to happen because courts won't uphold it.

In VIDEO #5, MSNBC interviews Trump supporters as they react to the plan of banning Muslims.  Most of his supporters agree with the idea of banning Muslims.  Most of them think it's a good idea because it will make the country safer.  One supporter, who was a soldier in Iraq, feels that this ban is great because he has seen many of his friends get killed by Muslims and he doesn't think it's right for them to just walk on American soil.

- ARTICLES

In ARTICLE #1,  The Daily Beast's Nico Hines writes about how people cannot understand how Donald Trump could run a successful presidential campaign in the United States.  Magnus Sveinn Helgason, an Icelandic historian says, "People are in disbelief; they think he is borderline crazy.  People are kind of scared about what it would be like to live in a world where he is one of the most powerful leaders."  The anger towards Trump really peaked after his remarks about placing a temporary ban on Muslims.  Leaders from France, Egypt, Canada, the United Nations, and Saudi Arabia were among many that criticized Trump.  In London, Parliament is debating whether or not to place a ban on Trump that would prevent him from traveling to Britain.  Paul Flynn, a Labour from England, was the one who thought of the idea of banning Trump, and more than half a million people signed a petition that supported him.

In ARTICLE #2, City Lab writes about the debate British Parliament had about banning Donald Trump from the UK.  There was a petition made calling for Trump to be banned and it gained more than 570,000 signatures.  It was enough signatures that Parliament had to have a debate about it.  The pro-ban side had very strong arguments.  The UK does have some bans on foreign visitors who they believe can risk their safety.  The anti-ban side argued that if they banned him then it would be like doing what he is doing to the Muslims.  They also argued that by banning him from the UK, it could benefit him with his presidential campaign.  Parliament didn't make a decision, but the chances of Trump being banned are slim to none.

In ARTICLE #3, British journalist Katie Hopkins talks about her support for Trump on temporarily banning Muslims from entering the United States.  Hopkins says, "I think it wouldn't hurt for everybody to have a temporary ban while we work out what the hell is going on given that we have people blowing themselves up in suicide jackets."  During her interview with host Nick Ferrari, she slammed the idea of banning Trump from the UK.  She says, "We have a real man and all we can do here in the UK and all we can do here in the UK is spend three hours in the House of Commons debating whether we should ban Trump.  You know, I think it's us that need to look at ourselves and question where is the UK going, not where is Trump going."

2) Thoughtful Reflection on the Issues Brought Up

- In each video/article, Donald Trump's temporary ban on Muslims was the main topic.  In each video/article, there were people that agreed with Trump and there were a lot of people that disagreed with Trump.  Each video/article showed a different side of the issue and that helped me understand the topic more.  In my opinion, I don't support Trump's ban on Muslims, but I do think that there needs to be more background checks and more security.  This topic will continue to be brought up until the election is over, and now that I have seen more detail about it, I can now understand why it was such a big deal.

3) How are the Topics in Your Assigned Group Relevant to the Historical Topics We are Covering in Class?

- The topics in my assigned group are relevant to the historical topics that are being covered in class because there seems that everyone is trying to ban someone or something from the United States.  No matter if it's a person, a group of people, a type of religion, or a drug of some kind, banning is a very important topic that has been discussed throughout the history of the United States.  For centuries, presidents or people in general have tried to ban something, and most of the time it doesn't happen.  Like Donald Trump, if he becomes our president (I hope not!), I believe that his ban on Muslims will not be passed.  In one of the videos, House speaker Paul Ryan said that the Republican party doesn't stand for it, and neither do the people of the United States. 

4) Do you Agree/Disagree With Any of the Arguments Brought Up in the Readings/Viewings?

- I disagree with Trump's ban on Muslims.  However, I do think there needs to be more background checks and security for anyone that tries to enter the country.  Everyday people enter the United States illegally and there needs to be more security for that.  When they get caught, there needs to be a background check on them and then they should be brought back to the country that they came from.  I don't think there needs to be a ban because I believe that it is going to cause more problems in the US if it happens.  I believe that if Trump becomes president and this ban passes, then there will be more attacks towards the United States then ever before.

5) What Article/Video Caused the Strongest Reaction to You?

- The video that caused the strongest reaction from me was Fox News' interview with Imam Nidal Alsayyad.  The reason why it caused the strongest reaction was because I was shocked that one Muslim would support Trump's ban.  I would have never thought that a Muslim would've supported it because they could possibly be banned from a country that they have been a part of for years.

MEME WEBSITE: http://memegenerator.net/instance/65811852

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Audrey Howell - Blog Entry #2

A Thoughtful Summary of the Topics Addressed in the Film: 

- Dakota 38 is about a group of Native Americans who ride their horses from South Dakota to Mankato, Minnesota to honor the 38 Dakota's who lost their lives in the Dakota War of 1862.  The movie starts off with how the group of Native Americans were not allowed to leave their reservation due to the settlers encroaching them.  If they left without permission, then they would've been considered hostile and would be killed.  These Dakota's were starving to death and that's how the Dakota War of 1862 started.  President Abraham Lincoln was responsible for the hanging of the 38 men and to this day, it is the largest mass execution the government has ever done.

- The full ride from South Dakota to Minnesota is over 300 miles.  The ride is mostly about healing, and they feel that they can't blame anyone anymore.  The ride takes 16 days to complete.  It starts on December 10th, and ends on December 26 (which is the day the men were executed).  They feel that it is the horses leading the way of the ride because they have healing powers.  They believe that the horses have six directions that they are taking for their journey.  Their front legs represent the West and the North, and their back legs represent the East and the South.  The head points up and so do their ears, and this represents Wakatakiya (which means up above).  The horses' tails point down and that is pointing to mother Earth.  All six directions create a sacred center.

- Throughout the documentary, racism was a very big topic.  There are some Dakota Indians who feel that racism is still happening within their tribe.  One of the filmmakers, Sarah (who is a Dakota Indian), said that most Dakota's have never been in a white person's home and that it would be uncomfortable for them to do so.  Even though there is some racism towards them, there are still many Caucasian's who help them out and want to know about the history of the Dakota's because many of them didn't know about the hanging.  They also welcome the Dakota's into their homes so they can get a home-cooked meal and feel welcome (even though there were some that were still uncomfortable with being in a Caucasian's home).  Throughout the journey, you see the Dakota's forgive Caucasian's for what they did and because of this, more people join the ride and everyone comes together.  However, there are still some Dakota's that still can't get along and forgive Caucasian's because of them hanging the 38 Dakota's.

- At the end of their journey, the Dakota's had a celebration about their heritage and the mayor of Mankato, Minnesota declared December 26, 2008 to be Dakota Reconciliation Day or "Wokiksuye" Day.  At the end of the film, the Dakota's spoke about how they are still going to work on reconciliation with white people because they have healed and forgiven them.

Your Response/Reaction to the Film

- Overall, this film was very interesting.  I have never heard about the Dakota War of 1862 and the hanging.  It was awful what these group of mean went through and they didn't deserve it.  Seeing the ride from beginning to end makes you feel what they go through with the journey and it is very honorable what they are doing to celebrate their lives of the men that were executed.

Do the Filmmakers Show a Certain Bias in the Subject They Are Depicting? If so, how?

- In my opinion, the filmmakers show no bias.  This documentary is about the Dakota's but they are not prejudice or racist to their heritage.  One of the filmmakers is a Dakota so because of that there was no bias involved.  Throughout the film, some of the Dakota's speak about how they don't relate to Caucasians.  To me, most people would probably say that this is biased towards Caucasians, but to me it's not.  38 Dakota's were executed by Caucasians so I see why they are uncomfortable or how they don't relate to them.  So in my opinion, I believe that there was no bias in the documentary whatsoever.

Are There Any Blind Spots or Missed Opportunities for the Filmmakers to Give the Audience More Information?

- In my opinion, there were no blind spots or missed opportunities.  Both filmmakers did a really great job depicting the ride and the history of the Dakota Indians.

What Additional Questions Do You Have for the Filmmakers?

- What made them decide to make a film about this?

- How hard was it to make this film?

- Did the weather have any effect with the filming process?

PHOTO CITATION:

http://www.heightsofhope.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/dakota38.jpg

[audreyhowellucf-blog]

Audrey Howell - Blog Entry #1

Hello! My name is Audrey Howell and I am currently a senior at UCF.  I am majoring in Elementary Education and I hope to become an elementary school teacher.  I decided to take this class because I love History and I enjoyed the first half of this course (AMH 2010).  Also, I am fascinated with everything that has happened in America.

I have taken History classes since I was in middle school, even though I did learn a lot about important historical events in elementary school.  My middle school History classes were always fun.  Most of the time, we watched videos about what historical event we were learning about and then we would have a lecture or discussion about it.  Also, we would do group activities where we would have to reenact the event as if we were there.  In my opinion, this helped all of us in the class understand how important History is to our society.  Overall, my middle school history classes were always fun and I learned a lot.  These classes were the reason why I fell in love with History.

My high school History classes were the worst.  Every single History class I took in high school were all lecture based and there were no group projects or anything exciting that happened.  However, there was one of my History teachers that loved to dress up as past presidents when we were discussing events that the then president was a major part of.  There was one time where he dressed up as Abraham Lincoln (after he was shot and killed), and that whole class time he talked about why he hated Lincoln so much.  Overall, my History classes in high school were nothing but boring lectures.  Even though I did have a teacher that dressed up, it still didn't entertain or interest me whatsoever.

Everywhere you go, History is around you.  Wherever you walk, there could have been some sort of historical event that took place there.  Where I'm from, there is a library where you can go and look up all the historical events that happened in my hometown.  I love learning about new historical events that I didn't even know existed.  It always excites me when I find out a historical event took place in my hometown especially if I have been where the event took place.

On the first day of class, we had to pair up with a partner and discuss a historical fiction that we chose to bring to the class.  The historical fiction I chose was the movie "Glory."  The reason why I chose this film was because it was one of my favorite historical movies.  I first watched "Glory" in high school when we were discussing the Civil War. It is a really great film to watch when you are discussing the Civil War because it really shows you what it was like to be in it (from the Union Army's point-of-view).  My partner, Chase, chose to bring a book called "The Guns of the South" by Henry Turtledove.  This novel is set during the Civil War.  It is about a group of time-traveling white supremacists who supply Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia with AK-47s and other supplies.  Their supplies help the Confederates win the war.  When Chase was explaining the synopsis of this book, I was intrigued by it and it seemed like a good book.

Overall, this class seems like it is going to be awesome and I can't wait to learn more about the History of the United States!

MEME WEBSITE:

http://www.memecenter.com/fun/1070247/college-american-history